Media over ip performance enhancement

Abstract

A method of transmitting data traffic from a network node comprising the steps of identifying a plurality of data packets as being members of a data session adding a timestamp to the header or data payload of each packet within the session wherein the timestamp is an additional timestamp and transmitting the packets to their destination.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transmitting data traffic from a first network node and receiving data traffic at a second network node comprising the steps of:
 identifying a plurality of data packets as being members of a data session at the first network node;   adding a timestamp to the header or data payload of each packet within the data session wherein the timestamp is an additional timestamp derived from a local clock of the first network node;   transmitting the packets to a destination;   identifying the plurality of data packets as being members of the data session at the second network node;   extracting the additional timestamp from the header or data payload of each packet within the data session;   placing the packet in a jitter buffer for re-synchronising according to the additional timestamp; and   routing the packet to the destination.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 removing, at the first network node, requests for non-required codecs from the data packets of the data session, wherein the non-required codecs comprise high-bandwidth codecs. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 identifying, at the first network node, packets containing silence; and 
 removing said packets from the data session; wherein the data traffic is media data. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 removing, at the first network node, identified replicated data from the header of a packet within the data session. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of sending said replicated data in at least one initial uncompressed packet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the replicated data is static data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of:
 restoring, at the second network node, the identified replicated data to the header of each packet within the data session. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the steps of receiving, at the second network node, at least one initial uncompressed packet containing the identified replicated data and applying said replicated data to subsequent packets in the same session. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data traffic comprises voice over internet protocol data traffic. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data session comprises an RTP conversation. 
     
     
         11 . A system arranged to transmit data traffic comprising:
 a network transmission node; and   a filtering stage arranged to:
 identify a plurality of data packets as being members of a data session; 
 add a timestamp to the header or data payload of each packet within the session wherein the timestamp is an additional timestamp derived from a local clock of the network transmission node; and 
 transmit the packets to a destination node. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the filtering stage is further arranged to:
 remove requests for non-required codecs from the data packets of the data session, wherein the non-required codecs comprise high-bandwidth codecs. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the filtering stage is further arranged to:
 remove redundant packets from the data session; 
 wherein the data traffic is media data and the redundant packets contain silence. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the filtering stage is further arranged to:
 remove identified replicated data from the header of a packet within the data session. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further arranged to send any replicated data in at least one initial uncompressed packet. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the replicated data is static data. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the data traffic comprises voice over internet protocol data and/or control traffic. 
     
     
         18 . A system arranged to receive data traffic comprising:
 a network destination node; and   a filtering stage arranged to:
 identify a plurality of data packets as being members of a data session; 
 extract an added timestamp from the data header or payload of each packet within the data session, wherein the added timestamp is an additional timestamp derived from a local clock of a network transmission node; and 
 place the packet in a jitter buffer for re-synchronising according to the added timestamp; and 
   route the packet to a destination.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the filtering stage is further arranged to:
 restore identified replicated data to the header of each packet within the data session. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  further arranged to receive at least one initial uncompressed packet containing the identified replicated data and apply said replicated data to subsequent packets in the same session.